Chapter 23: Equatorial Africa

Unit 6 Section 1: Physical Geography Landforms

• Located along the ______• Also known as: Central Africa or ______• Covers about ____ million square miles of land

Landforms

• Countries of the region: – DRC – ______– Central African Republic – ______– Equatorial Guinea – ______– South Sudan – ______Landforms

• Congo Basin – Basin-______– Rainfall in this region flows downhill and collects into streams which eventually empty into the Congo River – ______

Water Systems

• ______– Gulf-part of an ocean that is partially enclosed by land • ______, so fishing is an important part of the economy • Congo River makes the border between the ______• River reaches the Atlantic through an estuary – ______

Water Systems

• Congo River is easy to navigate in some areas, but in other areas there are ______– This impacts the movement of goods and people • On the eastern side lies Lake Tanganyika – ______– ______in some places Climates, Biomes, and Resources

• High temperatures and tropical climates • Tropical rain forest climate • The highland areas have a ______climate – “______”

Climates, Biomes, and Resources

• Rainforests • Tropical grasslands cover much of the southern part of this region – Rainfall is common • Mineral resources are abundant – ______– Copper – ______– Silver – ______– Oil – ______Section 2: Human Geography History and Government

• First settlers of the region: ______• ______moved into the region – ______– Established settlements in 800 AD

History and Government

• Europeans first came to the region for trading of ____, ______, ______, and ______• Millions of people were sold as slaves – ______

History and Government

• Much of the area was not colonized until the ____ century due to environmental obstacles: – ______• ______eventually gained control of the Rep. of Congo • King Leopold II of Belgium was a terrible ruler and caused much suffering among the people of Western and Central Africa History and Government

• Year of independence= _____ • Issues following independence: – ______– ______– ______– ______• Some countries have gained stability through utilizing their natural resources to make money Society and Culture Today

• Hundreds of ethnic groups reside in the area – …hundreds of languages • Major religions: ______– Some local/indigenous religions still practiced Economics

• Main economic activity: ______– Many people are still ______farmers – Small percentage involved in cash crops • ______(vegetable fiber used in various materials) • Lumber activities – Environmental impact • Fishing • Minerals (______) Section 3: People and Their Environment Managing Resources

• ______are serious issues • Internally displaced persons-refugee within his or her own country – ______• Resources that are helping the area: – Rivers for hydroelectric power – Mineral resources • ______• ______• ______